Adjustable speed limiting device for automobiles



7 Jan. 9, 1940. A. APREA ET AL 2,186,620

ADJUSTABLE SPEED LIMITING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Feb. 21, 1938z'eZZo -Apmsa I to the laws of a district travelled. In the secondPtetdJa; 9" d I I A I "ADJUSTABLE SPEED'LIMIIING DEVICE I FOR.AUTOMOBILES I I A niello Apreai and Edwardiwilliams,

. I, I ne pp Minn; "Application February2 1, 1938', Serial No.'191,840 Ih 3.Cl aims. ((il (I v Ourinvention--relatesto machines forcondinar'y'automobile equipped with a' multi-cylintrolling or limitingthe speed'of motor-propelled der engine; and i I I "vehicles andparticularly the'invention is directed, Fig. 2-is airagmentary'perspective' illustrating to a simple" and'efficient'jattachment forauto- I one'ofthefo ms 'oftlie'stop'or speed1i-mitingde- 5 mobiles or motorpropelledvehicles equipped vice I I v r IY 5 with internal combustion engines controlled by Referring first tothe structure illustrated in the primary operation of-a footpeda1','us'ually 1, only thos'eparts' of the automobile that designatedas the accelerator. I I are} the customary or usual construction will beIt is'awell known] fact that'in first starting an I particularlynoted asfollows: the numeral 3 in- I automobile a s'peedsuch as twenty or thirtymiles dicates the body including the 'instrumentjboard per hour;appearsto, the driver as quite fastspeed, 4;- the, numeral 5 indicates a'multi' cylinder inbut that "as 'miles are driven-the driver loses toternal combustion engine with the usual' 'intake a largejdegree asenseof speed'so that high'speed, jma'nifold' 6. The numeral 1 indicatesthecussuch asfo'rty or fifty miles per hour! appears to tomary,c'arburetor' connected to the manifold 16 be moderate. Otherwise stated,it is a very natin the" customary way. and equipped with the 5 ural andeasy'matter for a driver to continually usual throttle valve'8, theshaftS of which'prospeed upithe car so thatunless constant attenjectsand is provided with a'n arm' lfl." The tion is given to thespeedometer, thefvarious numeral [.lindicatesthe pivoted'or hingedaccelspeed limits i'n'the diflerent' zones'travelled will erator pedalwhich, by a connecting} rod 12,. is I 20 baexceeded 1 v. J

pivoted to onearmfof a bell-crank 3 which, in 20 Hitherto limitingstopsset'for a predetermined turn, is pivoted to the motor casing orother suitspeed'have been provided; but these have very I ablers'upportat M withits. other arm connected generally been highly objectionablebecause of I bya. rod l5to theiarm. lfljo'f thethrottlevalve. thedimculty ofchangi'ngfthe speed limit'to which Asiabove indicated, theparts so far/indicated by the device is stl A afurtherobjection has beennumerals are those of a commercial automobile 25 found inthe fact thatwith the stop device "set and with which, by manipulation ofqthenaocelfor a predetermined relatively low, speed,' it.has erator pedal H inthe'customary wayythe: speed not been possible in the ,caseofemergencyasior andxpower of "the engine will'be controlled and example,when for an instant or short interval varied .;':7--1; 1 v I a0higherspeed :andjfgre'ater power thanthat per- ";;Qur,. stop,or speedand power limiting, device mitted by thest'opldevice is required to getout of isiin this preferred structure, arranged tooperthe wayof anothercar or to passanother car, ate directly on the connecting rod E2, whichto increase the speed and power. rod is provided with and rigidlysecured to ad Our invention provides a device-which, in the 'justablesto'p collar l6 shown as in the form of as first instance, ma bymanipulation of a hand. a spl t a p as contracted on the said rod by a 3device within easy-reach ,of'the driver, quickly small tq d bolt orScrew .S ly set the-stop device for any predetermined speed, mounted onthe d between the p 61 3 1 1 Say ford-twenty, thirty, forty or fiftmiles per i6 and the arm of the bell crankw, is a stop hour,forfinstance, thereby adjusting the speed collar Whlch m take dlfierentforms as I I I I itself and provided with afprojecting arm or Place Incase of emergency as when short-I lug IS. The flanges or folds of thecollar l8 are interval high speed and power 15 required, that V t th 11nut e ui ed I d ower can be produced by an clamped 0 er y screws or SmaI q hlghefr Speed an p I I bolts 20 which leave the collar-forming porton 7 exfartwn ll p the normal" the loose for sliding movements on therod 12. I thud e the F Y F 15 i 9 such The [manuallyoperated portion ofthe attach-w iharacter that 15 'capablgof m flmpment may be supportedinvarious ways but is i to qbi fmotor'propened Vehlcles preferablydirectly mounted on a bracket 2| that I having Standard equipment I isrigid y secured. to the instrument 'board4 by so The-invention isillustrated in the accompanyany suitable means such, for example, as oneor i g dr w ne like characters indicate k more machine, screws 22.Journaled in the ends parts throughout the Several i of the bracket 2|is a screw-'shaft'23 that is held Referring 'to the drawing: againstendwise movements andprovided at its I Fig. Us a schematicperspective'partly in sec- I front end with an operating crank or handpiece;

tion illustrating the invention applied team or- 24 that is within easyreach of the right handof I shown, is a sheet *metal' structure foldeduponf I the driver of the machine. Working on the screw-rod 23 is a nutblock 25 that is held against rotation by suitable means such as theoverlying portion of the bracket- 2|. This nut block 25 is connected tothe sliding stop collar l8. As shown, this connection is made by atwo-part telescopically adjustable Connecting rod 2621 held in setadjustment as to length by suitable means such as a set-screw 28. Therod 26, at its front end,

is connected to the depending end of the nut block 25 while the frontend of the section 21 is connected to the lug 19 of the sliding collarI8.

With the device describedand by adjustments of the stop collar 56 on therod 12, or by adjustments of the length of the connecting rod 26-21,

or by adjustments of both, the device can beset so that opening movementof the throttle valve to a predetermined position may be set or limited.

Of course, opening movement of the throttle valve will control the powerof the engine, and hence, the'speed of the car, assuming that the roadconditions are constant.

Obviously, with the nut block 25 set in a predetermined position,movement of the accelerator pedal H, and hence opening movement of thethrottle valve, will be limited whenever, the stop collar, i6 is engagedwith sliding collar I8, the position of which latter is determined bysetting ofthe nut block 25. For varying speeds, the collar Hi can bequickly set in difierentnpositions simply byrotation of the crank 24 andresulting movements of the nut block 25 on the screw-rod 23. This kindofan adjustment makes it possible to very easily change the adjustment fordifierent speeds as will be desirable in reaching districts havingdifferent speed laws. Also, quick adjustments can be made where morepower is required to maintain a predetermined speed going up-hill, or,where less power is required in maintaining a predetermined speed ingoing downhill.

It is'now important to note that the pitch of .the screw on rod 23isapproximately 90. is done for an important reason. Approximately thisindicated pitch will cause sufiicient friction between the screw rod andnut block to prevent movements of the latter under ordinary pressure;but such friction will be only such that it may be overcome if veryconsiderable'force be applied to the accelerator pedal II. This permits,by considerable force applied to the pedal This H, to cause the nutblock 25 to move and permit the throttle valve to be opened in casegreater power or speed is required, for example, ingetting out of theway of or passing another automobile.

In Fig. 2 as an important feature, a yielding preliminary stop device isapplied between the positive acting stop elements l6 and Hi. Thispreliminary stop, device maytake difierentforms but, as shown, is in theform of a'coiled spring29 placed around the rod [2 between the said stopelement's I6 and [8. The tension of this spring or yieldingstop device29 should be such. that it will not be compressed to. any appreciableextent under normal foot actions on the accelerator pedal H, and hence,will, when it is engaged between the elements l6 and I8, ordinarily actas a stop to :limit thespeed or power.

However, in case of an emergency by such greater vforce as maybe readilyapplied to the pedal l I, spring 29 will be compressed, therebypermitting the throttle valve to. be opened for additional power andspeed. Where the spring 29 or yielding preliminary stop device isincorporated, it wouldbe advisable to make the threads of the screw-rod23 less in pitch so that the nut .block 25 would be more firmly set andcapable of being moved only by rotation of the screw-rod.

What we claim is:

-1. The combination with a speed controlling element and means foractuating the same including a pedal and an endwise movable thrust rodconnected to and extending fromv said pedal. ofcooperating stops, oneslidableon and the other relatively fixed to said thrust rod, a. block,

capable of'beingovercome by force applied to said pedal.

.ANIELLO APREA.

EDWARD WILLIAMS. V

